Beam.



J. E. TESSEYMAN.

BEAM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25,1910.

1 031 Z QWQ Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

gag/12555 gli'ENTO/C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. TESSEYMAN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE RALSTON COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

STEEL GAE BEAM.

Application filed April 25, 1910.. Serial No. 557,551.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. TESSEYMAN, of Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beams; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to 'which it appertains to make and use the tion and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a beam embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view of a beam, the end portions of which are reduced in height. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portionv of a beam showing the manner in which the beam is split and before its height is reduced. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the I-beam shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of an I-beam showing the positions of the parts thereof after the beam has been reduced in height, and Fig. 6 is a view showing the application of my improvements to a channel beam.

1 represents a beam which may be either an I-beam or a, channel beam such as is adaptable for use as a center sill member of a car underframe. When the beam is to be used for this purpose it is slit at intervals as shown at 2, Fig. 1, or at the end portions as shown at 3, Figs. 2 and 3,the slit portions being disposed in such position that they will come directly over the bolster members of the carunderframe. The slits 2 as shown in Fig. 1 are each formed in the web on a comparatively straight line at such a distance above the bottom flange as will enable the latter to be bent upwardly to reduce the height of the girder at the points ,where it is supported by the car bolsters. To facilitate the upward-bending of the lower flange and insure the formation of comparatively sharp angles therein at the opposite ends of its bent portions, the slits in the web are curved at their ends and extend downwardly to,'or inclose proximity to, the lower flange, which permits the lower flange to be readily forced upwardly and bent into the desired shape for the accommodation of the car bolster. The portion of the web above the slit is offset as shown in Figsc4, 5 and 6 to permit of its being overlapped by that portion of the web between the slit, when the lower flange is bent upwardly. The overlapping portions of the web are riveted together as shown at 4. In this manner the height of portions of the girder are reduced without removing an appreciable amount of metal from the web of the girder and by overlapping the slitted portions of the web and riveting them together the strength of the girder is maintained.

I am aware that it has been proposed to reduce the height of a girder at any desired point by forming a longitudinal slit in the web and offset the girder at opposite sides of the slit and rivet together such offset portion ;and hence I make no broad claim to such construction. In my improved girder the slits instead of being horizontal are curved at their ends and extend downwardly to the lower flange, which permits the lower flange being forced upwardly into the desired shape without necessitating the bending or the displacement of the web at the ends of the slit.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

A flanged beam for car underframes having a longitudinal slit formed in its Web, In testimony whereof, I have signed this one end of the slit being curved and extended specification in the presence of tWo subscribdownwardly substantially to the lower flange ing witnesses.

of the girder, the web at one side of the slit JOHN E. TESSEYMAN. 5 being oflset to receive and have riveted Witnesses:

th reto that portion of the Web on the op- F. R. HoovER,

p ite side of the slit. E. J. CULVER. 

